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People: James Cameron, Nicki Minaj, Craig Ferguson, J.K. Rowling, Pamela Anderson, Pippa Middleton
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James Cameron has shored up his position as king of the worldwide box office, the Associated Press reports.
Cameron's 1997 blockbuster "Titanic" sailed beyond the $2 billion mark in lifetime ticket sales, thanks to a 3-D re-release of the film that was timed to the centennial of the ship's sinking.
Only one other movie has topped $2 billion, and it's also Cameron's. His 2009 sci-fi smash "Avatar" earned $2.8 billion worldwide.
The "Titanic" reissue took in about $100 million this weekend -- $11.6 million domestically and a whopping $88.2 million in 69 overseas markets. That included a $58 million debut in China and put the re-release total worldwide at $190.8 million.
Added to the film's $1.84 billion haul in its original release, "Titanic" now stands at $2.03 billion worldwide.
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Looks like Nicki Minaj is no longer reloading ... on Twitter.
On Sunday the "Pink Friday" pop sensation apparently deactivated her Twitter account, leaving millions of followers begging for the Barbz to come back, E! News reports.
"Like seriously, its but so much a person can take. Good [expletive] bye," Nicki wrote.
Harsh words from the talented rap star. But is the Twitter enthusiast really giving up the social media site for good?
Possibly. After engaging in a tweet feud with a few of her followers, Nicki suddenly proclaimed Twitter silence.
Before pulling the plug on @NickiMinaj, she had been targeted by criticism from some followers for comments on ABC's "Nightline" last week in which she said she "wanted to kill" her abusive dad. "I wish he was dead," Minaj said.
The pop star also had just blocked the fan site NickiDaily.com, which she accused of posting leaked music from her album.
NickiDaily.com is now as dead as Nicki's Twitter account -- the site's home page has "closed" written in bold black letters and the track "Dear Old Nicki" plays in a loop.
Although the rap star might be silent on Twitter, she's still garnering praise for her latest album, "Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded." Her sophomore album debuted at No. 1 last week, and Minaj was most recently called the "most influential female rapper of all time" by The New York Times.
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Craig Ferguson is going back to Scotland and taking "Late Late Show" viewers along for the trip.
CBS says the Scotland-based episodes will air the week of May 14. While there, Ferguson explores Edinburgh and Glasgow. He also returns to his hometown of Cumbernauld, with stops at his childhood home and high school, the Associated Press reports.
On the trip, taped last month, he's joined by actors Mila Kunis, Michael Clarke Duncan and Rashida Jones, as well as author-humorist David Sedaris.
Music will be performed by local Glasgow rock band The Imagineers.
This marks the second international trip for the show. It also went to Paris last year.
"The Late Show With Craig Ferguson" airs weeknights on CBS at 12:37 a.m.
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You've read the books. You've seen the movies. You've seen the other movie. Now get ready for yet another way to experience "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo": a graphic novel. DC Entertainment will release the full book in November, but a free preview of the first chapter will be available beginning Wednesday, EW.com reports.
To see pages from the "Dragon Tattoo" graphic novel, visit http://shelf-life.ew.com.
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Get ready for this: J.K. Rowling is in the midst of penning a Harry Potter encyclopedia, confirming the long-standing rumor on her official website, EW.com reports.
"For a long time I have been promising an encyclopedia of Harry's world, and I have started work on this now," said Rowling in the FAQ section of the site. "Some of it forms the new content in Pottermore. It is likely to be a time-consuming job, but when finished I shall donate all royalties to charity."
Potter fans have been waiting for years for Rowling to revisit the magical world she created, and social website Pottermore has only managed to slightly quench our literary thirst. With this announcement, Rowling has unofficially revitalized the Potter fandom (not that it ever went away) with not just a book, but an entire encyclopedia to look forward to.
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Pamela Anderson and Lionel Richie owe the government money.
California tax authorities said Anderson owes $524,241 in personal income taxes. The Franchise Tax Board included the "Baywatch" star on a list of the state's 500 biggest income-tax delinquents posted Friday.
Meanwhile, E! Online reports that Richie owes the federal government $1.1 million in unpaid taxes and that a lien has been issued warning that the singer's assets may be seized if he doesn't pay up in a timely manner.
A message seeking comments from Richie's publicist wasn't immediately returned. A call to Anderson's tax attorney, Robert Leonard, wasn't immediately returned.
California law requires tax authorities to update and publish the names and amounts owed by the state's 500 biggest tax scofflaws twice a year.
"When taxpayers do not pay their fair share, it places an unfair burden on those who do," the tax board said on its website, which said the 500 owe the state nearly $233 million.
Other notable names on California's tax-delinquent list include CNET co-founder Halsey Minor; Joe Francis, the founder of the "Girls Gone Wild" video empire; actor Nick Cassavetes; and boxer James Toney.
Minor and his wife, Shannon, are on top of the list for owing the state $10.5 million in personal income taxes.
Francis owes $794,000, Cassavetes, the son of filmmaker John Cassavetes and actress Gena Rowlands, owes $273,000 while Toney owes $354,000.
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Pippa Middleton has become the target of investigators after Prince William's sister-in-law was photographed riding in a car in Paris while a companion waved around a gun, E! News reports.
The photos, which appeared in the U.K.'s Sun, show Middleton riding shotgun in a convertible with three male friends. One of the guys can be seen pulling out a gun and holding it up in the air and, at one point, aiming the pistol at a cameraman, who snapped an image.
Paris Judicial Police are reportedly set to launch an investigation. "If the evidence points to her involvement, she will be prosecuted," a source told the newspaper. "Anybody involved in the illegal use of a handgun in public is liable to arrest and interrogation."
Per French law, convicted felons reportedly can face up to seven years in prison for toting a gun in public. Even if the gun was a replica or a toy, a conviction can lead to two years behind bars.
There has been no word on whether the photog plans to press charges. Likewise, there has been nary a comment from Team Middleton or French authorities.
Middleton was purportedly in Paris to attend a party.
First Published April 17, 2012 12:00 am
